BUENOS AIRES — A pending amendment to Argentina’s Hunting Act will consider packs of wild dogs in rural areas as harmful, allowing them to be hunted or captured.

This has caused much discussion among animal rights groups, which claim that this amendment is would allow only authorized agencies to shoot or trap the animals, La Tercerareports.

Whether stray dogs would be considered “wild” is a slightly subjective matter, it seems. The newspaper quotes an Agricultural and Animal Service (SAG) official as saying, “In some cases, they are capable of attacking humans. Stray dogs, who have wandered from urban environments and exist thanks to caring people and do not cause harm or damage will not be subject to this law. Wild dogs are easily identifiable animals that have nothing to do with abandoned dogs in cities.”

SAG officials say that the agency monitors compliance with hunting regulations, thanks to the important contributions of inspectors and police. They say that damage from packs of wild dogs is well known in rural areas and has had a significant impact on the populations of other wild animals such as camels, birds, deer and pudú.

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